1. Field
Embodiments relate to a system and method for extracting three-dimensional (3D) coordinates using image information obtained from a stereoscopic-image photographing unit and a Time of Flight (TOF) sensor unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Methods for obtaining three-dimensional (3D) information from an object or scene may be largely classified into two methods. The first method may be any of active methods, for example, a method for employing a 3D scanner, a method for employing a structured light pattern, and a method for employing a ranging camera. In this case, 3D information may be relatively and correctly obtained. However, in order to obtain such relative correct 3D information, the cost of device required for such correct 3D information is very high and it is impossible for most cameras other than the ranging camera to perform modeling of a dynamic object or scene.
The second method may be any of passive methods, for example, a stereo matching method using a binocular stereoscopic image, a silhouette-based method, a VOXEL (volume cell) coloring method acting as a volume-based modeling method, a Shape From Motion (SFM) method for calculating 3D information of a static object having multiple viewpoints captured by the moving camera, and a Shape From Shading (SFS) method for employing shade information. The second method may generate 3D information using an image obtained from a multi-viewpoint optical camera, and is advantageous over the first method in that the second method obtains 3D information at lower cost and has higher resolution than the first method. In contrast, the second method has a disadvantage in that the reliability of depth information is lower than that of the first method because of various image characteristics, for example, variation of illumination, texture, and the presence of a shield region.